MoD accused of burying admission that UK special forces had power over Afghan sanctuary claims

The Ministry of Defence has been accused of trying to bury an admission that the special forces had power over the UK sanctuary applications of Afghan allies amid an ongoing inquiry into potential war crimes in Afghanistan.

The MoD has previously insisted that UK special forces could not block relocation applications of Afghan soldiers, some of whom could be witnesses to crimes allegedly committed by British units.

Hundreds of Afghan special forces soldiers who served in two elite units known as the Triples have had their applications to come to the UK rejected by the MoD - with some subjected to murder and torture at the hands of the Taliban after being refused help.

A joint investigation by The Independent, Sky News and Lighthouse Reports first revealed that relocation applications from alleged Triples members must be approved by the United Kingdom Special Forces (UKSF), which should verify the applicant’s role and approve them.

Defence minister Andrew Murrison has now admitted that UKSF told caseworkers whether they would sponsor an application. Their assessment of the Afghan applicant was then used by MoD caseworkers to determine if they should be approved for relocation to the UK.

The admission that the UKSF did have an effective veto power on applications has been described as “extraordinary” by SNP MP Stewart McDonald.

Mr McDonald, who received the clarification from Mr Murrison in a letter last week, said: “That the letter has been sneaked out in the most underhand fashion - clearly in the hope that it would go under the radar during an election campaign - is unprecedented.”

Mr McDonald said the defence minister had tried to “sneak out” the letter by sending it to the SNP’s generic HQ email rather than directly to him, adding: “Clearly they hoped this would be missed entirely and go under the radar”.

He said the letter “represents a 180 reversal of the public position advanced by the UK government”. Mr McDonald added: “The veto power outlined in the letter represents a clear conflict of interest for UK special forces, as it gave them decision-making power over applications at a time when a public inquiry about alleged war crimes committed by UK special forces is underway.”

Some Afghan members of the unit Commando Force 333 were partnered with the SAS during the period that is being investigated over potential war crimes.

Independent inquiry officials are particularly interested in the Triples units because they may be able to provide testimony that is relevant to the inquiry.

The government is currently conducting a review into some 2000 applications by those who served in Afghan specialist units. The review comes after the MoD admitted mistakes had been made in the sanctuary decisions following extensive reporting on the issue.

An MoD Spokesperson said: “There has been no evidence to suggest that any part of the MoD has sought to prevent former members of Afghan specialist units from giving evidence to the inquiry.

“This is a fully independent Inquiry which has the full support of the MOD, and we encourage anyone with relevant information to come forward.”